Good news!

[Pinged]

GOOD NEWS EVERYBODY!!!! My DVD player broke down, now i can make a laser........err any ideas? I would like something powerful and mobile. But I'll take the power over portability (for now at least). I would like to use it primarily for burning(2 dollars for matches is just unacceptable). I would also prefer something that has less of a chance of blinding me( I am working on a pair of video goggles, but project is on hold due to budget).

I think I should wait till I rig my goggles up before I work on the laser, so I am in the brain storming stage right now.

 

[jake21]

is it a dvd player or dvd burner? u want one from a dvd burner if u would like it to fit ur needs

 

[MarioMaster]

yup unless you have a DVD burner you're going to be stuck with a <5mw laser

 

[styropyro]

Well, if you don't want your laser to be able to blind you, than your laser won't be able to burn anything. Just think of it this way, if as laser can burn, it can blind!

 

[Pinged]

Well its just a DVD player. it is my understanding i can still make a laser out of that. It wont burn however, that’s just as well I did not feel comfortable building something that can blind on my first try(you probably already knew that it was). I also have a lack of safety equipment (as in none) if the DVD player diode can blind Ill put the project on ice till I rig up my goggles(an adventure in its own right).

 

[BlueFusion]

Goggles should never be "rigged up". Bottom line.
The only way to go is buying them. Really $40 is a small price to pay for your sight.

 

[Pinged]

I am making a pair of video goggles. By using a pair of 3D imaging glasses( the kind you hook up to a computer or TV) and slice the wiring into a video imager of an old digital camera. Then I was going to bound them together so I can have both hands free and view the laser indirectly.

 

[pseudolobster]

I am making a pair of video goggles. By using a pair of 3D imaging glasses( the kind you hook up to a computer or TV) and slice the wiring into a video imager of an old digital camera. Then I was going to bound them together so I can have both hands free and view the laser indirectly.

it took me reading over that a few times before I got what you mean... you mean to say you're going to be wearing goggles with little screens in them, hooked up to a video camera of some sort?

I can't say I've seen that approach before, but it should certainly protect you from *any* laser.

Don't use a really expensive camera though, you can destroy the CCD in a digital camera with a moderately powered laser.

As far as a dvd *player* laser blinding you, I wouldn't be too worried unless you plan on shining the beam directly into your eye for several seconds... Extracting it might be good for the practice, but the laser you end up with will be no more powerful than the $2 ones you can get at a dollar store. Viewing the diffused reflections of such a laser is not dangerous.

Word of caution: In addition to a red diode in DVD players, there is also an infrared diode. When you power an IR laser you get an invisible beam, with a faint red glow from the diode... Do not mistake this faint red glow as being a faulty red diode, then stare into it thinking it's broken... It's giving off an infrared beam that could be dangerous.

 

[Ethator]

Off topic...

When i 1st saw the title of this thread i was 1/2 expecting to see
"I just saved a bunch of money by switching my car insurance to Geico"

 

[nikokapo]

lol

how can ur dvd player breaking be good news?

 

[Pinged]

it took me reading over that a few times before I got what you mean... you mean to say you're going to be wearing goggles with little screens in them, hooked up to a video camera of some sort?

I can't say I've seen that approach before, but it should certainly protect you from *any* laser.

Don't use a really expensive camera though, you can destroy the CCD in a digital camera with a moderately powered laser.

As far as a dvd *player* laser blinding you, I wouldn't be too worried unless you plan on shining the beam directly into your eye for several seconds... Extracting it might be good for the practice, but the laser you end up with will be no more powerful than the $2 ones you can get at a dollar store. Viewing the diffused reflections of such a laser is not dangerous.

Word of caution: In addition to a red diode in DVD players, there is also an infrared diode. When you power an IR laser you get an invisible beam, with a faint red glow from the diode... Do not mistake this faint red glow as being a faulty red diode, then stare into it thinking it's broken... It's giving off an infrared beam that could be dangerous.

Yes your correct in your assessment of my plan. I was thinking if I can get the goggles working I would save money in the long. And it would also be good practice for my masters in EE.